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About 1 mile west of the Cruden church, there are the remains of a Druid temple on a small rise. Near the temple is an artificial mound called the Moat, whilst about 1 mile to the south of the temple is an artificial mound called High Law. To the east of the temple is Gallow Hill and its graves.

954

Some time between 954 and 962 a party of Vikings from Orkney, led by the sons of King Eric Blood-Axe raided the Buchan coast but were defeated by the natives. The exact site of this battle is unknown but one account would suggest that it was on the slopes of the Aldie Hill at Cruden.

1000

Crudane, as shown in old records before the area become more known as Cruden, means "slaughter of the Danes", and records the famous battle between the Scots and the Danes. Other variants, meaning the same thing, are "Croju-Dain, Croch Dain, Croja Danorum". Other suggestions are Croya Dain or Crushain. The original village of Crudane is supposed to have grown up near the battlefield at which the Danes were beaten by Malcolm II. Tradition is that the Danish military chest was buried in the vicinity during the battle and that it has never been recovered!

1012

Led by King Canute, son of Sueno, the Danes and Norwegians fought their last battle with the Scots. Landing on the Hawklaw headland, they fought their way inland for about 4 miles until they were defeated by the Scots led by Malcolm II (954-1018). Evacuating what is now known locally as the "batelfuld", the Danes vowed never to return as foes. The golf course is also said to have been the seen of some of the most intense fighting. Canute, in spite of the defeat, later went on to become King of England, Denmark, Norway and part of Sweden. The battlefield is situated a mile to the west of Slains castle in an area called Ardendraught where the Danes had a castle at that time.

1012

To perpetuate his victory over the Danes, Malcolm II built a chapel on the battlefield (most likely on the golf course beach) and dedicated this to St Olaf (or Olaus), patron saint of both Denmark and Norway.

1012

After the Malcolm/Canute battle, Canute, King of Denmark, is supposed to have sent a blue/black marble stone to be placed on the graves of some of his high ranking officers. This stone was later moved and placed against the wall beside the East gate of the Parish church of Cruden (about a mile to the west of the original chapel raised by Canute). This stone was there in 1790 according to Rev Alexander Cock, incumbent at that time. This stone has a no inscription but has a groove in which a copper plate had been originally inserted with an inscription. The copper plate is no longer.

1012

The field of battle was to be consecrated and made a burial place for the dead.

1588

The Santa Caterina, a Spanish Galleon, floundered on the rocks to the south of Cruden Bay. In the kirkyards of Cruden can be found gravestones with the name Castel. These could be Spanish descendants of the shipwreck, as Castel has a Spanish ring but then again it could just be a variant on Cassel or Castle.

1594

The original Slains Castle can be found at the Mains of Slains farm, off the Whinnyfold to Collieston Road about 4 miles south of Cruden Bay. This medieval castle was the home of the Earls of Buchan. But after the war of independence, Robert the Bruce gifted the land to the Errolls from Perthshire as a reward for their major part in the war. However, after winning at the Battle of Glenlivet, James VI destroyed the castle in 1594 as he marched on the powerful Earls of Huntly and Erroll. King James IV personally supervised the demolition using gunpowder collected from the town council of Aberdeen.

1596

The current Slains Castle was built by Francis the 9th Earl of Erroll about 1596 and was extensively rebuilt in 1836.

1664

Slains Castle was built in 1664.

1697

Near the Parish Church of Cruden is "Bishops Brig" with a single arch crossing the Water of Cruden (the local river). The bridge, which also has a bend making it difficult to cross with modern vehicles, was built in 1697 by the Bishop of Brechin and later extended in 1763 by the 14th Earl of Erroll. In the south wall can be seen the coat of arms of both the Bishop and the Earl of Erroll.

1755

Cruden population was 2549.

1763

Near the Parish Church of Cruden is "Bishops Brig" with a single arch crossing the Water of Cruden. The bridge, which also has a bend making it difficult to cross with modern vehicles, was built in 1697 by the Bishop of Brechin and later extended in 1763 by the 14th Earl of Erroll. In the south wall can be seen the coat of arms of both the Bishop and the Earl of Erroll.

1765

The Earl of Errol built the Episcopal Church of St James. The font is said to have originated from a church built on the battlefield of Cruden by Malcolm II to celebrate his victory over the Danes.

1765

Saint James's church was built on the same site in 1765 (later rebuilt in 1843). Before then, during the years of persecution of the Episcopal Church after the Battle of Culloden, the congregation met among the sand-dunes on the beach.

1773

Boswell and Johnson visited Slains Castle about which the latter said "the walls of one of the towers seem only a continuation of the perpendicular rock, the foot of which is beaten by the waves".

1777

The Parish Church of Cruden was built in 1777 supposedly using the "Grey stone of Ardendraught" a huge boulder of granite removed from Oldtown farm near Whinnyfold. Two circular towers were added in 1834. Prior to this, fires were lit in the Grey Stone to guide the fishermen.

1778

Cruden population was 2120.

1782

In 1782 and 1783, the parish of Cruden suffered from failure of the crops.

1788

Around 1788, there were epidemics of 'malignant sore throat and putrid fever', whilst rheumatism and consumptive complaints were prevalent. 'Putrid fever' was widely spread to those who sat with the dead through the night prior to burial. However, smallpox vaccination was common at this time and loss of life to those was not the norm.

1792

Cruden population was 2028.

1793

Rev Mr Alexander Cock, incumbent of Cruden Parish Church, wrote the Statistical Account of Cruden.

1793

Cruden consisted of the 4 sea towns of Longhaven, Buller's Buchan, Ward and Whinnyfold, out of which 8 boats fished. A boat fully manned had a crew of 6 men and a boy. However, not many boats had full crews. The parish had 80 ploughs of land, of which 70 belonged to the Earl of Errol, with another 4 landowners owning the rest. Only 2 of the landowners lived on their land. There were 3 clergymen: the ministers of the Established Church, of the English Episcopal and of the Scottish Episcopal.

1801

The population of Cruden parish was 1934.

1811

The population of Cruden parish was 1967.

1816

There was a small church at Craighall, which was opened in 1816 and which itself had replaced a series of "hidden" chapels used by the congregation during the days of the persecution of Episcopalians following their involvement in the Jacobite Risings.

1821

The population of Cruden parish was 2258.

1831

The population of Cruden parish was 2120.

1833

George Hay, 17th Earl of Erroll, was made Baron Lord Kilmarnock in 1833 and took the office of privy Councillor. Already the Hereditary High Constable of Scotland, he also became a High Steward and later went on to become the Lord Lieutenant of Aberdeen.

1834

Two circular towers were added in 1834 to the Parish Church of Cruden built in 1777.

1836

The current Slains Castle, originally built in 1596, was extensively rebuilt in 1836 by George Hay, 17th Earl of Erroll. John Smith, the City of Aberdeen architect, was employed for the remodelling work. Smith also did work on Balmoral Castle.

1841

Rev Alexander Philip, Minister of the Presbytery of Ellon, updated the Statistical Account of Cruden. At that time the Parish was in the Presbytery of Ellon, Synod of Aberdeen.

1841

The population of Cruden parish was 2349, in the 3 villages of Bullers-Buchan, Ward and Whinnyfold. By this time the Earl of Errol had sold some of his lands to another 9 proprietors. Quarrying was no longer carried out (the granite had been used for London bridges). Only the Parish church and the Scottish Episcopal church existed. There was one parochial schholl which earned the schoolmaster £25, although there were another 4 'unendowed' schools. A parish library was establsihed several years prior to 1841 by the Earl of Errol. Whilst 70 were in need of poor and parochial funds which came from weekly collections, fines and casual benefactors, there were 10 alehouses. The peat which had been widely used for heating was fast running out and coal was being brought by boat to the Ward harbour and from Peterhead in the winter.

1843

The present Saint James's was opened in 1843 and was the first commission of the architect William Hay (1818-1888). Its tall, pinnacled tower and spire can be seen for miles around. The church is on Chapel Hill in the countryside a mile and a half from the village of Cruden Bay. The baptismal font dates from 1012 and came from the chantry chapel built by a Scottish King and a Danish Prince after a battle on the beach at Cruden Bay, which marked the end of Viking involvement on the north-east coast of Scotland.

1871

The parish's history of Saint Mary-on-the-Rock stretches back over 900 years. However, the present church was designed by George Edmund Street, the eminent Victorian architect, and is based on the design of the mediaeval parish church of Ellon, which was destroyed in 1776. It is a Grade A listed building and was opened on June 23rd 1871. It was consecrated on September 8th 1875.

1875

After being built between 1875 and 1889, in an area then known as the Ward of Cruden, the harbour was named Port Errol in recognition of the £14,000 supplied by the Earl of Errol. The harbour has remained unchanged today, although, being tidal and dry at low tide, is only suitable for pleasure boats and small cobbles for the white fish trade.

1895

Bram Stoker started to write "Dracula" at Whinnyfold, basing the bleak, isolated castle on Slains Castle. Although early drafts show Dracula coming ashore at Slains, this was later changed to Whitby. Even today, there are some who say that on a wild night with the wind gusting round and flashes of moonlight through the scurrying clouds, Dracula is still to be seen pacing the courtyard of Slains.

1897

The Great North of Scotland Railway opened the branch line from Ellon to Boddam.

1898

The Great North of Scotland Railway built the Cruden Bay Hotel as a 55 room holiday centre with tennis courts, croquet and bowling. A half mile tram line was also built to transport the guests from the station to the hotel.

1914

The Norwegian Navy Lieutenant Tryggve Gran flew his 'Ca Flotte', a Bleriot mono-plane, 300 miles from Cruden Bay across the North sea to Stavanger. Lieutenant Gran was also a member of Captain Scott's South Pole expedition and was in the party that recovered the bodies of the ill-fated expedition.

1916

The estate and Slains Castle were sold by the 20th Earl of Erroll in 1916 to the shipping magnate Sir John Ellerman along with 7200 acres of land. This was as a result of death duties and taxation.

1922

Funded by a group of local ladies, a wooden bridge across the mouth of the Water of Cruden was built, linking the beach to the village. It was aptly named 'The Ladies Bridge'. At one time, the Water of Cruden was used to power seven local mills; the only one remaining is now a pub (in Hatton).

1922

In 1922 Slains Castle was sold again.

1924

The village was renamed Cruden Bay in 1924, although the local primary School still bears the name 'Port Erroll Primary School'. The renaming may have been at the behest of the Great North of Scotland Railway Company which owned the Cruden Bay Hotel.

1927

In 1927, a decision was taken to demolish Slains Castle, but fortunately, probably due to the expense of demolishing such a solid structure the idea was abandoned, although many of the great stones were removed to other buildings.

1932

The Ellon to Boddam railway line was closed and this spelt the death knell for the Cruden Bay Hotel which had been making losses.

1952

After having been requisitioned during the war by the army, the Cruden Bay Hotel was demolished between 1947 and 1952.

2000

Port Errol school was completely burned to the ground.